Week 9 Reading Diary: Eskimo Folk Tales

This reading diary will cover stories from the Eskimo Folk Tales unit. Story source: Eskimo Folk-Tales by Knud Rasmussen with illustrations by native Eskimo artists (1921).


The Coming of Men, A Long, Long While Ago
This story told an interesting version of the creation story of the world and of mankind. In this tale there is no God... rather the earth and all of its contents and inhibitants rather fell into place just as they are now. In the beginning people only had nighttime, and the earth was over populated with people because they lived to old age. Then they agreed to trade the death of man in order to have daylight. The first man died and there was light; now when all men die they become bright things in the sky lights stars, moon, sun.

Nukúnguasik, who Escaped from the Tupilak
This was quite a confusing story... I read it twice and I still really have no idea what it was about. All I know is Tupilak's are some creature made by man and the one in this story was eating his creators body. And also Nukú killed the creator by startling him but besides that I no nothing.. which is basically also what the story ends by saying.
 
The Woman Who Had a Bear as a Foster-Son
A polar bear cub became the foster son of a lonely woman. When he was small he played with the kids of the town. when he was larger he played with the grown men, and when he was huge he went out hunting with men. The foster mom made him a collar as a mark to protect him from being hunted. One day a man from the north set out to kill the unkillable bear and instead the bear killed him. The foster mom wept and sent the bear away to hopefully be safe with his own family.  

The polar bear son

Qalagánguasê, Who Passed to the Land of Ghosts
A young boy, Qala, lost all of his family members to deaths. He was a lame boy and the lower part of his body didn't work. All of his family members came back as ghosts to entertain him while the people of his village left him to go hunting. One time his mother and fathers ghosts came and they told him they could take him away to a better place. Then he became a ghost like the others and no one in the village ever saw him away. This could be an interesting story to retell... Maybe from someone else perspective.  

Isigâligârssik
The town wizard would only let married men see the spirits performance, so Isig found a young girl who wanted to marry him. He went to the spirit thing but the wizard cast him out. He kept trying to get back in and eventually the wizard stabbed him, but luckily he fit into his baby outfit and it healed him to survive. He then shot the wizard with a tiny bow and arrow and he died. This Isig lived happily ever after with his wife. 

The Insects that Wooed a Wifeless Man 
The man was wifeless because he slept all night and day and was hopeless. Then one day when he finally awoke, far later than all the other men, he went out in his canoe. He rescued a man whos canoe had been turned over and this man granted him a wife and a cure for his sleeping as long as he never spoke of that day/how he got those things. HE went on the wake early each day and catch seals, and he got a wife but she was nosy. He told her how he caught the seals each day and he lost the gifts he had been granted. He left through winter, his canoe rotted, his wife left him. This could also be a good story to retell.

Makíte
Again another story I didn't really understand at all. I think the cultural barrier between things like items used in our daily life, and thing in nature is so intense that I just don't know what the heck is going on. All i know is Makite was a sucky fisherman and left his wife to go up the mountain to a better life but came across these houses with people living alone and there was a fight and a wave of water and then they all died? Still not really sure, these stories aren't very entertaining to me since I don't even understand them. 

Atungait, Who Went A-Wandering
This story was pretty weird. Atungait had a wife and killed a seal but went off to find a strong woman to knead the seal skin for him. He found one by playing football? and then they traveled on together up a mountain with their sled dogs. Along the way they came across groups of people with bodily deformations or they were cannibals and they stole things from them. Atungait returned home to see his wife kissing another man, he killed her but not him because he was honest about it. Then he married the strong woman.
 
The Giant Dog
A man owned a giant savage dog who would bring in whales and narwhales.... but one day it killed and ate a man so they had to move away to their own land. The dog was trained and the master ould ride it if they wanted. They dog would disappear very now and then and bring its master back a human leg of an inland dweller. The dog would snatch people from their houses and that is why the are all now still scared of dogs. Another man came one day with three dogs to kill the big one but instead it crushed all three of them. 

Future Reading Selections

My task now is to explore the UnTextbook for this class and to select the stories I would like to read for the next two weeks. The next section is the Native American unit and we will pick two sub units of it to read for weeks 9 and 10, which are the two weeks following spring break. It's hard to believe we are already at the week before spring break and making these final reading choices.

For week 9 I will read the unit called "Inuit (Eskimo) Folk Tales." The title of this unit caught my attention and then I read the summary of it and I knew I wanted to read all the stories. I don't know much about the life of Eskimos but I think it would be really interesting to see what things are popular in their culture and to see some history in these stories. The stories seem like they cover a wide variety of topics so I don't think I'll be at all bored with this unit.

Image on the intro area for the Inuit (Eskimo) Unit. (I'm interested to see what this creature is)

For week 10 I will read "Native American Hero Tales." I have not read any units so far that have focused just on heroes so I think this will be an interesting one to read. Some of the stories within this unit had interesting titles as well so I'm looking forward to reading the whole stories. Again I like that I'll be able to learn about the native American culture from these stories.

Blog Feature Ideas

For this assignment I looked at a few  other blogs and selected three whose layout and features I really liked. I analyzed these three blogs the select a few things that I might want to change on my blog. The links to the three blogs and what I liked about each of them are listed below.

http://mcrelyea.blogspot.com/
I like how the stories and the navigation side bar were together in one large lighter purple block. I also like that her blog didn't have navigation tabs at the top, like mine does, and instead just on the side. It was all so easy to read because of the font styles and colors.


http://3043.mythfolklore.net/randommf.html
I really like how this blog takes up much more of the page with the writing column instead of leaving a lot of empty space on the sides. My blog's writing area is pretty skinny right now and I should look into expanding it to make better use of my blog.

http://3043.mythfolklore.net/randommf.html
One unique feature of this blog is the quote of the day located at the top of the sidebar. I think this would be interesting to include on my blog because it would give the reader something new to see everyday. It would also be cool if I got to pick it as it would be a reflection of my interests.

Time Strategies

In the beginning of the semester I chose to start my work for this class on Sundays, also working on Monday and then finishing up the next Saturday. I have found that pretty much every week since the beginning that this time allotment has not actually worked for me. I usually start the week's work on Tuesday evening, doing both reading diaries and the storytelling post. I also try to do the project feedback and the extra blog comments on Tuesday or Wednesday. Then that just leaves me the work on my storybook project and the blog comments, which I normally knock out Friday afternoon or I'll wait until Sunday to do it.

So my official start date should change to Tuesday- doing 2 hours, Wednesday- 2 hours, Friday OR Sunday- 2 hours.

As for how I handle my time for other classes.... I feel that I've done a really good job of working ahead and working hard all week so that I can enjoy my weekends. There truly is way more going on the spring than the fall so I like to be able to put away the books and homework and go hangout outside, go to sporting events, go to date parties, and do philanthropy events. 

Knowing that after spring break things will get even crazier, I will have to be sure to finish my Netflix shows over spring break so that I'm not tempted to watch them during the rest of the semester. I also think it will be increasingly important that I get enough sleep so I can finish the semester strong.

How I feel when I spend time planning/focusing on time management

Week 7 Storytelling: The Kettle in the Woods

In the forests of Japan there live many animals of all kinds. One of the animals that is native only to this area is called a Tanuki. Tanukis look rather cute upon first glance, almost like a little fox mixed with a bear cub. But, Tanukis are sneaky and mischievous little tricksters who have no respect for humans. They often steal shiny items from the people who pitch
tents for the night in their woods.

One of the items most frequently stolen by Tanukis is tea kettles. The campers in the forest will make a fire for the night and will set a tea kettle over it to have hot water ready in the morning to make their coffee. Little do they know, the whistling of the kettle and then its metal glimmering in the moonlight make it most desirable to the Tanukis.

One night three young Tanuki brothers entered into a campsite, there was a tea kettle over the fire that the three wanted to steal. They played a round of rock paper scissors and the youngest of the three lost so he had to be the one to retrieve the kettle.

He crept between the tents and when he was at the fire's edge he saw how difficult the task would be for a little guy like him. He took a step back to get a running start, then he ran and leapt over the fire to knock the kettle off its holder. The kettle fell down, hot water splashing out and the metal clanging as it hit the ground. The little Tanuki had used his head to hit it off so he was a little delirious.

The other two Tanuki brothers knew they had caused too much noise and that the people would soon wake up and come out after them... so they took off into the woods. The little one shook off his deliriousness and then dumped the rest of the water out of the kettle.

He wanted to carry it back home for his family's stockpile of shiny things they had stolen, so he got inside the kettle and turned it over. His body fit inside and only his feet stuck out the bottom. Because of this he couldn't see anything. However he could hear the people rustling around in their tents, then he heard one of them unzip; a person was probably onto him now.

The Tanuki started running towards the woods, with the kettle on his back and his feet going wherever they could,  but the person was now chasing him and the kettle. He ducked and weaved and jumped over some branches. He was sure he had lost the person since he no longer heard him.

He sat down behind a tree and slipped the kettle off his body, he was panting to catch his breath.

Then, out of no where, the human reached around the tree and grabbed the Tanuki in one hand and the kettle in the other.

He said "You silly animal. You awaked me from my sleep and put me through quite the chase. If you wanted this kettle so badly, all you had to do was ask... We wizards are quite good at granting wishes, you know?" The wizard said

"Well now I suppose I'll grant you what you wish... forevermore you and that kettle shall never part, that is because you will become one part" the wizard said followed by an evil laugh. Then he pulled out his wand, made a few flicks of his wrist, and cast a spell to literally turn the Tanuki into half Tanuki/half kettle.

Tanuki tea kettle

"And finally, I command you to never return home to your family but to instead go find other humans to share your gift with. You shall dance for the people of the land and you will be their enjoyment like once the tea kettle was yours" ended the wizard. Then the wizard vanished back to his campsite, and the Tanuki took off towards a village in the forest.


Author's Note: The original story comes from Japanese fairy tales and was called "The Magic Kettle." In this story a man comes home to find a mysterious kettle, he puts it on the stove but it turns into half Tanuki. He is scared so he gave it to another man who then built a traveling show around the dancing Tanuki/kettle. He became very rich and then gave the Tanuki back to the first man so he could become rich as well. I enjoyed this story so I decided to retell it; in my retelling I made it an origin story. The original story left a lot to be wondered about how the half Tanuki/ketlle appeared in the mans house in the first place so that is what I made up for this story. In this way my story is the lead in to the original story and I think it answers a lot of questions for the readers. I chose the image from the original story because it accurately depicted what a half Tanuki/half kettle animal would look like.

Bibliography: "The Magic Kettle" from the Japanese Fairy Tales unit. Story source: The Crimson Fairy Book by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H. J. Ford (1903).

Week 7 Reading Diary Continued: Japanese Fairy Tales (Lang)

Continued from Japanese Fairy Tales unit. Story source: The Violet Fairy Book by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H. J. Ford (1901).

Schippeitaro
Young boys had to go off into the world to prove themselves so this one boy went into a forest to find some great task to conquer. He got lost and slept at nigh in the forest chapel, big cats woke him at midnight talking of Schippeitaro. The next day he found a village and a girl crying because the next day she would be eater by the forest spirit. He decided that was his task and he ask of Schippeitaro- the kings large dog. He begged to borrow the dog and put him in the place of the girl the next day in a box in the chapel. The cats returned and the largest one, the spirit opened it to eat the girl but instead the dog bit him. The boy cut off his head and killed other cats as well. Now all the girls are safe and they celebrate the boy and dog.

The Crab and the Monkey
The crab had a nice hole for a home and there was some rice outside of it. She was bringing it inside when a monkey appeared and asked for a trade- some rice for a kaki kernel. The crab agreed. Later the monkey came by again and the crab gave him permission to climb in her kaki tree if he dropped her some fruit. He dropped the bad ones so she tricked him into doing a somersault which dropped the good ones from his pockets. Seeing he had been tricked he pummeled the crab almost to death. But her friends saved her and made a revenge plan. When the monkey came to apologize they hurt him and eventually killed him. The crab lived happily under the kaki until she died.

The Magic Kettle
A kettle appeared in a mans house and when he filled it with water and sat it on the hot stove in morfed into a cute creature called a tanuki. He was scared and didn't want it so he sold it to a tradesman. He too discoved it was tanuki and was given advice to show it to people for a price once he got the tanukis consent. So he did this and the tanuki would appear from the kettle on command and dance for/with people. Once he had made a fortune he still wasn't happy so he returned the kettle with a 100 gold pieces to the original owner. They both lived a happy, great, well respected life. This would be a fun story to retell, maybe as a how did the tanuki first come to be.

The kettle tanuki

How the Wicked Tanuki was Punished
Only a father tanuki and his son and his fox wife still lived in the forest but they were starving. The planned for the father to play dead while the mother changed to a human and sold him for food. He escaped later and they ate happily, but again they ran out. So they switched roles and the mother played dead while the father sold her. But he was greedy and didn't want to share with her so he told the buyer to really kill her. He got back to his son but now also didn't want to share with him. He survived on his own but sought to avenge his mom. He said he knew magic better than his father so he bet the father wouldn't recognize him if he changed shapes. Instead he hid and watched as the father accused the real king of being his son. His guards threw him into the river and he died. The son was happy and lived on in the forest.

The Slaying of the Tanuki
A man in the forest was tricked by the Tanuki a few to many times so he wanted to kill the Tanuki. He captured him and bound him in his house. But his kind wife freed him and the Tanuki instead cooked her up into a feast instead of him being the meal. He used his magic to take her shape and clothes and then when the man returned he ate the food which was his wife. The Tanuki changed back to itself and told the man what happened then ran away. The man wanted to avenge her so a hare helped him. He set him on fire but that wasn't enough so he took him out fishing a drowned him. Finally the wife was avenged and the man and hare lived happily together.

Uraschimataro and the Turtle
Ura was a daring fisherman and one day caught a turtle in his nets, he brought it aboard but it begged to be freed. Ura put it back and it said it owed him. Later on another voyage his ship was destroyed and he was almost killed but the same turtle came to his rescue. Instead of taking him straight home they went underwater for three days to find a palace. In the palace Ura met a woman who loved him from what the turtle told her. Ura stayed to live with her and she granted him to never die or age. Eventually he longed for his parents so she unwillingly let him go back only to return if he did not open the little chest she gave him. When he got back it had been 300 years and his parents had both passed away. He unconsciously opened the box and instantly became old, almost like a zombie. He waited for the turtle to come take him back but he never arrived and Ura die.

Week 7 Reading Diary: Japanese Fairy Tales (Lang)

This reading diary will focus on the Japanese Fairy Tales unit. Story source: The Violet Fairy Book by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H. J. Ford (1901).

The Two Frogs
Two frogs from two different cities in Japan wanted to explore each others cities. They both set out on the road and the met in the middle and became friends. They stood up on their hind legs together to see if the other city was worth visiting but they forgot their eyes were on the back of their head. SO when they thought they were looking at the other city they were really looking at their own. Seeing it was no better they both turned around for home.

The Stonecutter
A stonecutter finally heard the voice of the mountain spirit who granted wishes. He was unhappy with his life and wished to have a nice bed, the wished to be a prince, then the sun, then the clouds, then the rock mountain, and finally again he wished to be a man. Each time he was unhappy and saw something better and more powerful he wanted to be until finally he realized that his job as a stone cutter man was the best and fine for him.

The Maiden with the Wooden Helmet
A young girl was so beautiful that the mother and father wanted to protect her from men so they told her to wear a wooden helmet. They were a hardworking family and so when the father then mother died the daughter went on to work to support herself. She was brought in to care after a mans sick wife and then one day the son caught a glimpse of the maidens beauty. He asked to marry her to his families displeasure and eventually she said yes. The helmet was stuck to her head before the wedding so she was married in it, later on it burst off into pieces. They lived happily ever after.

The Envious Neighbor
A mans dog lead him to treasure in his yard. The neighbor was envious and borrowed the dog, when he only dug up bones he killed him. The sad owners had a dream of the dog telling them to cut down a tree for mortar, they did this and it turned to gold pieces. The envious neighbor again borrowed the mortar but for him it created stinky berries, he burned them. Then the dog told the owners to collect the ashes and spread them on cherry trees in front of the king, they did this and he gave them rich gifts. The envious neighbor tried to do the same with the remaining ashes but they got in the kings eye. He bound and punished him and when he was released from prison his village would have him no longer.

The Sparrow with the Slit Tongue
A man saved a sparrow from a mean bird and let it live in a cage in his home, he loved it but his wife was quarrelsome and hated it. When he left on a trip she chased it around the house and at last slit its tongue. It was fearful and sad and flew away to the forest. When the man returned he was determined to find his bird friend so he searched many days. Finally he came to a house in the woods and a woman brought him inside. It was the sparrow turned into a woman. They ate and she served him & sent his away with a chest. He opened it at home and it was jewels. The wife was mad he didn't choose the bigger one so she found the house and chose the bigger one. When she got it home she opened it to find snakes which bit her and then she died.

The Cat's Elopement
Two cats fell in love but their owners wouldn't sell one to the other so they ran off to be together. They were in a park when a dog was about to attack Gon the male and the female Kona cried out for help. A man saved him and took him to the princess where he lived happily. He killed a snake for her and then one day he rescued the female from a mean cat in the park. The two went to the princess and she accepted the girl and treated them well. They had kittens and she got married and had babies and they were all friends.

The cats at the woman's feet